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In Für Elise by Beethoven, in many variations found on the net, starting from bar 13, and as I have seen in many videos playing this part, both hands are used consecutively while most to all of them can be easily played with just the right hand. Is there any special reason why this happens (something like making it look pretty)? Is it written by Beethoven himself or have later editors made these changes? Is it wrong or considered rude (because great pianists have not done so) if I play it with only one hand?

This is the part of Für Elise I'm asking about

PE: My problem is not where E has different octaves, but those D# & Es and continuous moving from the bottom staff to the top staff starting from bar 13, is my main problem, and yes about those Es: although that E to E travel could be done using both hands differently, for example it's much easier for me to play the starting E in bar 13 with my left pinky, the second E with my left thumb and the rest with my right hand, and the highest E with my right hand.

Amir F
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  • please limit your posts to one question. I have edited this for you - your other question is already covered on this site anyway. See the related sidebar to the right. – Doktor Mayhem Sep 28 '17 at 06:37
  • Although these two question may be about one piece of music of BT, I thought the topic would be different, so I asked them in two different places, though one of them contains more questions. Sorry if it violates SE rules cause I wasn't aware... – Amir F Sep 28 '17 at 08:38
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    Regarding your update: finger legato is why you start the octaves 5-5-1 instead of 5-1, because it sets you up to play the phrase legato after that first jump. And the minor seconds (d#-e) are all the same two notes, in treble clef. They are easy to play with one hand but easier to count with two, plus the first left hand beat gives you time to bring your right hand back from the high E. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 09:21
  • AF - I deleted your thank you post as well. it's worth reading our [about] page to understand how this site is different from online discussion forums - we don't use thank you posts at all. Simply upvote good answers, and accept the one you think is best. When you have more rep you can also add bounties etc... – Doktor Mayhem Sep 28 '17 at 10:40
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    One note is that a composers can use this type of clef separation to indicate which "voice" is intended to be playing those notes. (especially in a more polyphonic piece as was popular in Beethoven's day) E.g. it could indicate that in a duet you should switch between the two instruments for what, in this example, is the bass and treble clef. – GetSwifty Sep 28 '17 at 16:02
  • Of course, but in my opinion, when it comes to only one instrument it is more interesting and a little bit challenging... – Amir F Sep 28 '17 at 17:09

2 Answers2

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Fingering suggestions, including handedness, are always just suggestions. You can play it how you like. That said, there are a few reasons to use both hands in this passage:

  • The octaves are much easier to play smoothly and evenly when you play with both hands.
  • Using both hands, you can play the octaves with finger legato, which is good technique even when using the pedal.
  • Alternating hands helps less with technique for the minor seconds, but it helps a lot with counting the minor seconds to keep time, especially because the length of that phrase varies throughout the piece.

These reasons are a bit more compelling for beginning and intermediate players, which is usually when you learn this piece, and once you have learned it, there is little reason to change the technique.

Bradd Szonye
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    Yes. The old 'finger legato'. The most desireable thing in piano music. – GoatsWearHats Sep 28 '17 at 07:44
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    Yes, and it's such a big deal in learning classical and romantic piano like this, along with the touch and evenness that you mention. This is a great piece for developing that technique! – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 07:46
  • "Fingering suggestions, including handedness, are always just suggestions", by saying this part, does this suggestion only apply to numbering notes for fingers (which is written above notes and is common in many instruments such as Piano, Guitar etc), or writing each note on the treble or bass clef is also a part of suggestions? I mean, there might be a piece of music written by a composer, arranged for piano for example, without knowing the techniques of the piano, and that is just a write-down of melody he/she has in his/her mind. There, we can change the way we play it? – Amir F Sep 28 '17 at 10:18
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    Which _hand_ to use is a suggestion. But the _clef_ is not a suggestion, it defines the pitch as much as the lines do. Make sure you are not confusing _clef_ with _staff_ as they mean different things. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 15:38
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    And this advice is for piano – guitars have different issues. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 15:39
  • Yes, clearly I know what clef is!! I mean there might be some situations like this part of Fur Elise, which we can play with both hands (and clearly can be written on each staff sometimes by using ledger lines... I mean writing on one staff while being able to write it on the other equals to making us use one hand or another, or even they are suggestions. For example bar 13, bass clef, third note (E). In other words, if one bass line must only be played by left hand even if one note written on that is possible to play by right hand in an easier way? – Amir F Sep 28 '17 at 18:15
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    @AF by writing that E in the lower staff, Beethoven has suggested that it be played by the left hand. If you play it with the right, it doesn't mean you're playing the piece wrong. If using the right hand causes you to break the legato phrase, though, it does mean you're playing it badly. – Tab Alleman Sep 28 '17 at 19:26
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    @AF The question mentions “those D# & Es and continuous moving from bass to treble clef in bar 14,” and elsewhere you also appear to use “bass clef” to refer to the lower staff. That terminology is incorrect and confusing. There is no bass clef in bar 14; both staves are in treble in that measure. If you read the lower staff as bass clef, you’ll play the wrong notes. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 20:39
  • @BraddSzonye this is where my question is, I know the clef sign is changed to G just before bar 14, but my question was: in a grand staff, regardless of which clef we are reading notes from, is always the top staff for right hand and the bottom for the left hand? But after reading the answers now, there are mostly suggestions while at the same time in most cases the best suggestion... – Amir F Sep 29 '17 at 12:56
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    The fingerings are always just suggestions. That includes which hand to use, as I state in my answer. That said, unless you are working with a teacher who can guide you personally, I recommend sticking to the recommendations until you have enough skill and understanding to realize why the editor made those suggestions. You won't offend anyone, but they're there to help you learn. – Bradd Szonye Sep 29 '17 at 22:56
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For me, I would use the combination of both hands for two main reasons:

  1. The less "jumping around" on the piano, the better. Fewer fast movements (such as going from that upper E to the D# 8vb) usually equates to fewer mistakes (or chances for mistakes). If we can make the movements easier by spreading it over both hands, why not?

  2. It's very much about 'touch'. To get those E octaves, most people will need to play the lower with their thumb and the upper with their pinky finger. The lower octave E is repeated, and doing this with the thumb (which is the shortest and strongest of human fingers) can result in an excessive, 'harsh' tone on the repeated note. It's a subtle thing, but by using different fingers on the same note, we have more control; not just over tone, but also at fast tempos with rhythmic "even-ness".

Is it "wrong" to play with only one hand? No. But I would suggest that that is not the best method of performing this piece. It may get the job done, but as you say, "great pianists" use both hands, for the reasons above.

GoatsWearHats
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    Totally agree about _touch,_ which is what I was getting at talking about smoothness & evenness in my own answer. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 07:47
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    Also, that technique of switching fingers for the same note is helpful for the bass in the C section of the piece. I find that it is _much_ easier to play an even pulse on the bass when I play it 3-2-1-3-2-1 instead of 1-1-1 or 2-2-2. – Bradd Szonye Sep 28 '17 at 07:49